Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are well known solid state light sources. LEDs have many advantages over traditional sources such as incandescent bulbs as they are cheaper to produce, are more robust, and require less power. Other current alternative light sources include xenon lamps which increase light output but require a high operating voltage and has a limited life span. However, traditional light sources are used for numerous applications which take advantage of some of the characteristics of the light source but are often limited by other characteristics as well.
Traditional light sources have different thermal, optical and geometric limitations that differ greatly from light emitting diodes (LED). These differences may include maximum operating temperature for example. These differences have limited the use of LEDs in traditional lighting applications.
The use of LEDs to replace tradition light applications has been desired, but adaptation of the LEDs to a traditional lighting mounting arrangements has been difficult. In particular, a well defined beam is needed for applications such as obstruction lighting, including FAA lights L864, L810 and L865, marine navigational light and landscape lighting. The current LED light sources have reflectors designed much like reflectors for traditional lighting sources. These reflectors have rotational symmetry and thus cannot focus the light of the LED in order to satisfy the above mentioned applications.
Thus, there is a need for a lighting system which provides the means to use a LED in traditional lighting system applications. There is a further need for a lighting mount which allows an overlap in focused beams. There is yet another need for a modular lighting unit which can use less units to generate the same amount of light.